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The Razer Phone is updated with Android 8.1 and is coming to Best Buy

Andrew Myrick
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The Razer Phone was launched in November of last year, and has become the “go-to” device for gamers. However, Razer had delayed the release of Android Oreo for various reasons.

Android Oreo incoming

The company started beta testing Android 8.0 Oreo, before pulling that round of tests. Instead, Razer opted to update its first smartphone with Android 8.1 Oreo.

READ MORE: The best Android phones for Gaming

Starting today, the beta program is officially over, as the latest version of Android starts rolling out. This is impressive considering that Razer, a new player in the phone space, kept to its schedule of mid-to-late April.

In addition to bringing Oreo to all of the Razer Phone lovers, it will now be easier for you to get your hands on one. Starting today, you can purchase the Razer Phone for $699.99 from Best Buy’s online storefront.

The company states that the device will be coming to retail locations, but there’s no specific information as to when that may be. Nonetheless, it will be interesting to see how well the Razer Phone performs when it comes to sales.

Obviously, the device was not available in any storefront locations and was only available online. That is all about to change as Razer prepares to bring its device to more users.

READ MORE: Best cases to protect your Razer Phone

As a reminder, the Razer Phone marked the first smartphone to ship with a 120 Hz display. This has been combined with HDR playback, Dolby Atmos sound, and flagship specs for an excellent overall experience.

Let us know what you think about the Razer Phone and if you are interested in picking one up.

OnePlus 5 and 5T Finally Receiving Android 8.1 Oreo Update

AndroidGuys
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OnePlus was one of the first companies to state its most recent flagship phone would be getting the Android 8.0 Oreo update. The company has since been testing the OnePlus 5 and 5T with Android 8.1 Oreo through its public beta channels. Now, after only one month of testing, both phones are getting the 8.1 Oreo update.

Only being in testing for one month makes OnePlus one of the fast manufacturers to push out the update. The fact that both phones are already on Android 8.0 Oreo helped with that speed. The jump up to Android 8.1 Oreo includes a host of changes, listed below:

System

  • Updated system to Android 8.1 Oreo
  • Updated Android security patch to 2018-04
  • Added full-screen gesture support (Only 5T)

Gaming mode

  • Added new optimizations in gaming mode including power saving and pausing adaptive brightness
  • Added network boost – network priority for gaming App in the foreground

Launcher

  • Added category tags in the search section of the app drawer
  • Auto name folders based on category

Perhaps the most exciting aspect of this update is the inclusion of full-screen gesture support. This is limited to the OnePlus 5T, but allows you to navigate around your device similar to the iPhone X.

In order to enable these gestures, you’ll need to head over to Settings and disable the navigation bar. From there, you will have the following gestures:

  • Swipe Up from the middle – Take you home
  • Swipe Up from the middle and pause – Show Recent Apps
  • Swipe from the Left or Right side – Go back

With this update, the company is already started rolling it out. You may have to wait another day or two, but OnePlus has pushed it out. Congrats Oneplus 5 and 5T users!

Yolla aims to help users make international voice calls on the cheap [Review]

Alexandra Arici
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Making international calls no longer needs to be such an expensive activity. Whether you have family living abroad with who you want to keep in touch or you’re traveling a lot, you can keep your sanity (and wallet) at ease by using apps for making international calling.

The good news is that you can make international calls for free (or at very affordable rates), as there are many viable options which don’t require you to pay an arm and a leg to wireless carriers. It’s another case for free apps to the rescue.

In what follows, we’ll talk about one such app. It’s called Yolla International Calling App and it’s free to download from the Google Play Store, although while using it you might have to do some additional spending.

Setup

Just download Yolla from the Play Store and install it on your device. Then give the app permission to access your phone app, contacts and verify your phone number (Yolla will call you, but you don’t need to answer). After this is done, you’ll be able to get started.

Interface & Use

Once you dive into the app, probably the key highlight is its easy-to-use, modern-looking interface. You’ll find it’s clear as it can be and is not plagued by ads or overstuffed with more or less useful features. Even non-techies will get the hang of how of it in no time.

Basically, when you open the app you’ll see a list of all your contacts. Contacts who have the Yolla app installed on their device will have the Yolla logo listed next to their names and you can call them for free.

Yolla also allows you to call people who don’t have the Yolla app installed on their device. You can actually make calls to any mobile or landline phone worldwide, but obviously, you’ll be asked to pay a fee for this service.

Like with other VoIP apps, international calls are free between app users. But when it comes to calling people who don’t have internet on their phone or the Yolla app installed, you will have to buy credit. Rates are pretty decent and don’t come with hidden fees. You can also earn additional credits by inviting friends to join the app. Here are some examples of rates for calling mobile numbers:

  • USA from $0.008/min
  • Canada from $0.005/min
  • UK from $0.015/min
  • Australia from $0.033/min

However, you need to make sure you’re on a stable Wi-Fi/4G/3G connection or you risk your call falling through. Almost 70% of the calls I placed (free or otherwise) or received failed after 2-3 minutes due to apparent Wi-Fi instability issues.

On the bright side of things, one of the best parts of the app is that it lets you keep your original phone number, so you’ll friends and family will always see your personal phone number when you call. And they won’t even know you’re calling using an app (unless they have and use Yolla too).

Furthermore, I was pleasantly impressed with the sound quality in calls. I could hear the other party very crisply at the other end, regardless of whether I was making a local or international call. What’s more, the app doesn’t appear to be a battery hog either.

But unlike alternative apps like Viber, Yolla does not allow you to text and send photos. It’s only for making calls and nothing else.

By the way, if you’re looking to place a phone call to a certain country, but you don’t know the country code, Yolla includes a database of all country codes. Which is quite handy.

Overall

Yolla offers a clean and easy-to-use app and excellent in-call quality. However, you need to make sure you’re on a stable Wi-Fi connection (or 4G/3G) to ensure your calls won’t fail. But if this happens, another concern is that your credit will get depleted without you actually getting to talk to the person you want to reach.

Luckily, Yolla thought of this. If you are having network issues, you can request customer service right from the app. A Yolla customer service agent will check the network and make it up to users in no time. Even if the issue is on the customer’s end.

You can download Yolla in the Google Play Store

The Fitbit Versa is now available for purchase for just $199

Andrew Myrick
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Earlier this month, Fitbit announced its latest smartwatch with the Fitbit Versa. This Apple Watch-lookalike sports all of the features you want, while being priced at just $199.

The Versa is here!

On the outside, the Versa features a high-resolution LCD display, with Gorilla Glass 3. Fitbit has also included water resistance up to 50 meters, along with a heart-rate monitor, and built-in GPS.

As for the software, the wearable launches with Fitbit OS 2.0. This includes a new personalized dashboard, along with new watch faces, music playback, and more. There is also the ability to track sleep and an update is coming for female health tracking.

If you have been waiting to pick up the smartwatch for yourself, the wait is over. The Versa is now available for purchase from Fitbit’s website and Amazon for just $199.

However, there is a ‘Special Edition’ version which is priced at $229.95. This edition includes a built-in NFC chip, which will allow you to make payments from your wrist. Additionally, you will get a special woven band which is not available with the standard version.

In fact, we have had the Versa in-house for a little while now, and it’s easily one of the best smartwatches I’ve ever used. But you’ll have to stay tuned to find out what we think about the smartwatch as a whole.

If you want to learn more about the latest smartwatch, hit the button below. Let us know what you think about Fitbit’s latest wearable and if you would consider picking one up.

Buy the Fitbit Versa!

Lenovo Tab 4 8 Plus review

AndroidGuys
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When it comes to tablets, we find that we’re just not quite as excited about them as we were a few years back. Likely due to a number of factors, it’s hard for us to justify needing a tablet. Sure, we think we want them, and some of us really do. But, by and large, consumers seem to shy away from standard tablets in 2018.

When you can get a Chromebook that runs both Chrome OS and Android, the notion of a 2-in-1 seems more alluring. And, why not? We’re talking 10-inch displays or larger, and tons of flexibility on both the hardware and software fronts.

Even on the smaller side of things, at the 7-inch and 8-inch size, we are almost content skipping. In the days where we had 4-inch phones, a small tablet made a big difference in viewing size. But, now that screens routinely push 5.5-inches and above, it’s hard to justify the cost and added hardware in a smaller tablet.

Taking this further, it’s hard for a lot of users to justify a tablet of this size outside of what Amazon offers in its Fire models. Not only are they more affordable, but they tend to do everything we need. For many, this means Facebook, Netflix, email, magazines, and gaming.

With that said, there’s still a market for competing products in this space. One such model, the Lenovo Tab 4 8, seeks to fit that bill. At $130, it’s a well-received device that seems to be worth its asking price.

Lenovo Tab 4 8 Plus

We’ve had the privilege of reviewing it slightly enhanced sibling, the Lenovo Tab 4 8 Plus. Goofy and wordy name aside, it’s a nifty unit; we’d like to share our thoughts on the experience.

Though it bears a striking resemblance and shares a number of hardware specifications with the Tab 4 8, this Plus version is noticeably different in one are – LTE connectivity. Indeed, it’s equipped with support for most (no Sprint) wireless service providers. It’s largely that that merits the inflated price when compared to other 8-inch tablets.

Priced as low as $229.99, the tablet is solid, comfortable, and feels like a well-built product. The rounded corners and matte black finish aren’t anything new, but they work well here. The size is just right for single-hand usage in both portrait and landscape orientations. It’s thin and light and we found it travels easily.

There’s nothing fancy in this model; it’s not pretentious and doesn’t try to mask performance with sexy build materials. We shouldn’t expect much at this price point and Lenovo understands this.

Specifications

  • Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 (2.00GHz)
  • Operating System: Android Nougat 7.1
  • Display Type: 8.0″ IPS LED LCD Touch (1920×1200)
  • Memory: 2.0GB LPDDR3
  • Hard Drive: 16GB
  • Warranty: One year
  • Battery Li-Polymer: 4850mAh
  • Bluetooth: Bluetooth Version 4.2
  • Camera: Front 5MP, Rear 8MP
  • Wireless: 802.11 AC
  • Integrated Mobile Broadband LTE

Display

We liked the 1920 x 1200 for this size screen as we anticipate plenty of video watching on Hulu, Netflix, or YouTube TV. Picture is clear, sharp, and vibrant without being punched up or oversaturated. Reading text in emails, social media, and websites was pleasurable; this is likely our favorite size for portable media consumption.

We might have preferred less bezel around the screen, both on sides as well as the top and bottom. For us, it’s a case of “once you see it, you can’t stop seeing it”. Fortunately, we were able to tune this out most of the time we used it.

Other Hardware Impressions

The two front-facing speakers feature Dolby Atmos technology and are loud and clear. Maybe we’re just used to what we get from phones but this sound was more robust than expected.

The power button and volume buttons can be found to the right of the tablet when held in portrait mode. Conveniently, the power button also doubles as a fingerprint reader. This is particularly helpful for devices that are shared in an environment.

The last thing you want is someone picking up the tablet and making a purchase on your dime or dipping into apps where they don’t belong. Android makes it so tablet users can have their own accounts with passwords, settings, wallpaper, apps, and social media accounts. The fingerprint reader is a nice roadblock to keep the wrong user out of your space.

General Performance

The Snapdragon 625 processor, paired with 2GB RAM, won’t set any benchmark records but it gets the job done. We found the tablet performed admirably in most cases, though it didn’t seem to love it when there were multiple apps and games open at once. There were no major stutters or forced closes but it seemed to slow ever so slightly.

To us, at least, tablets are more of a consumption device and not so much of a productivity or gaming rig. Sure, they can do those things, but it’s not the most pleasurable experience. If you’re looking for high-octane portable gaming, go for a console like the Nintendo Switch. If your needs necessitate turning out hundreds or thousands of words a day over email, docs, and messaging, spring for a 2-in-1 like a Chromebook.

With that said, the Lenovo Tab 4 8 Plus handled day-to-day tasks like a champ. It was only when we looked for the boundaries of performance that we started to find them. Most of the target demographic wouldn’t take issue with how this fares on an average basis.

The 16GB of storage space is a little on the lower end in 2018 but at least there’s a microSD card slot for up to 128GB of additional room. It will depend on how much media consumption you do versus gaming and downloading of files as to whether you might want to consider a microSD card.

Say Cheese, if You Must

The Tab 4 8 Plus features a 5-megapixel fixed-focus camera on the front and an 8-megapixel auto-focus rear camera. Both are average and work in a pinch, but we’d suggest using the one on your phone instead. Besides, nobody wants to watch you stand in a crowd and shoot graduation videos with your tablet.

In all seriousness, the front one is perfectly serviceable for video chat and a quick selfie at the coffee shop. The rear camera does feature a number of shooting modes to help with various situations; it’s capable of 1080p HD video recording.

Battery & Charging

The tablet’s battery source is a 4850mAh unit, which gave us a good 8-10 hours of usage each time. Results will vary based on whether you’re using LTE and taking the tablet out and about, of course. With that said, the device charges up rather quickly with the USB Type C charging port.

Though it runs an older version of Android at 7.1 Nougat, we were pleased to see it was predominately a stock experience. Outside of what Google gives us there are just a handful of Microsoft Office apps, FM Radio, File Manager, Sound Recorder, and a couple of extras. Because the tablet is sold on its own there are no carrier apps or bloated, branded services.

The Tab 4 8 Plus is compatible with the Lenovo TAB4 Home Assistant Speaker, an Echo-like speaker add-on. In essence, the tablet docks into the speaker and turns into an Echo Show sort of experience. You’ll pay about $80 for that unit.

Conclusion

We liked our time with the Lenovo Tab 4 8 Plus. Did we love it? Not quite, but we didn’t set out thinking that we would ahead of time. It’s a perfectly good tablet for a family or small office. As to whether you necessarily need the 4G LTE connectivity depends on your situation.

To us, it might make more sense to pick up the standard Tab 4 8 and save the money. You’ll lose screen resolution and camera quality, but that may be a non-starter for some. We’d be just as content sharing our mobile hotspot with the tablet when the need arises if it ever does.

We can understand how appealing a Fire tablet might be, especially when your starting criteria is cost. But, keep in mind you’ll also get the official set of Google apps and the Play Store. That’s a big deal for some of us, especially if you’re already in the Google ecosystem with Drive, YouTube, Gmail, and more.

Availability

You can learn more about the Lenovo Tab 4 8 Plus at its official website; you can also purchase the tablet directly for $229.99. Head to Amazon and you’ll find it going for around $215 right now.

Getting started: The first nine things to do with your new Galaxy S9 or S9 Plus

Andrew Myrick
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When it comes to picking up a new phone, there are a lot of different things to do once you leave the store. This comes from logging into your various accounts and getting acclimated to the device.

Today, we’re going to take a look at a few of the first things that you should do with your new Galaxy S9 or S9 Plus.

Keep your device protected

Despite all of the software issues over the years, Samsung has definitely refined the hardware of its Galaxy devices. The same sentiment rings true with both the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus.

The devices are covered in glass with a metal frame wrapping around the edges. This creates a gorgeous and sleek design, but it’s still glass.

If you’re like me and can be clumsy from time to time, you’ll want to invest in a case. There are even times where you’ll want to only use the case when you’re away from home.

Here are some of my favorite cases:

Read more:

Boost your storage

Samsung has been doing its part to listen to the customers over the last few years. Gone are the days of 16GB of base storage and the same can be said about the Galaxy S9.

The S9 and S9 Plus are packed with 64GB of base storage, but this can be expanded thanks to the microSD card slot. This means that you should definitely pick up a microSD card to expand your storage, even if you only use it to store pictures in videos.

Here are some of our favorite options:

Stay secure with your face

With the launch of the iPhone X, there has been a new wave of a focus on using facial recognition. Samsung already introduced iris scanning with the Galaxy S8, but things have been turned up a notch.

With the Galaxy S9, Samsung’s iris scanning is now known as “Intelligent Scan”. This uses both iris scanning and facial recognition to quickly unlock your device.

In order to set this up, you’ll need to head to Settings > Lock Screen and Security. From there, select ‘Biometrics’ and tap ‘Intelligent Scan’. The Galaxy S9 will then guide you through the process.

Take advantage of the display

Likely in an effort to keep battery life performance in tip-top shape, Samsung turns the resolution down on the S9 and S9 Plus. Thankfully, this is done through software, so you can head into the settings and turn things up.

Out of the box, the Galaxy S9 is set to FHD+ (2220 x 1080). But you can go up to WQHD+ (2960 x 1440). In order to take advantage of the full resolution, follow these steps:

  1. Open ‘Settings’
  2. Tap ‘Display’
  3. Select ‘Screen Resolution’
  4. Move the slider up to ‘WQHD+’

Fix the Navigation Bar

For some strange reason, Samsung loves to change up the orientation of the navigation bar buttons. This means that the back and recents buttons are both switched.

Thanks to the myriad of software settings, you can actually change this to the standard navigation orientation. Changing this back is pretty painless:

  1. Open ‘Settings’
  2. Tap ‘Display’
  3. Scroll down and select ‘Navigation Bar’
  4. Tap ‘Button layout’
  5. Select ‘Back – Home – Recents’

Don’t reach for the top

Although Samsung has kept the same screen sizes from the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus, life can still be difficult for those with smaller hands. The company has compensated for this by including a one-handed mode.

This effectively shrinks the screen for you to easily access the top of the screen. Otherwise, you would be performing finger gymnastics just to reach the top.

Here are the steps you need to take to enable and activate One-Handed Mode:

  1. Open ‘Settings’
  2. Tap ‘Advanced features’
  3. Select ‘One-handed mode’

From here, you have two different options in order to activate this mode. You can either use a gesture, swiping diagonally from the bottom corner, or tapping the Home Button 3 times.

Tap the toggle in the top-right hand corner, and then select the option you would prefer. The nice thing here is that you can toy around with both methods without having to go to the home screen.

Get cozy with Bixby (or not)

Bixby has been a mixed bag ever since it was released in 2017. This has been further compounded by the inclusion of a hardware activation button, that has been pressed by accident far too often.

For the unaware, Bixby is Samsung’s take on a personal assistant in your pocket. It’s a direct competitor with the likes of Google Assistant, but ties into your Samsung account and different apps.

Once your device has been set up for the first time, you can either swipe to the right on the home screen, or tap the dedicated Bixby button. This will bring you to the Bixby feed, which shows you all types of different pieces of information.

However, for those of you who don’t want to deal with Bixby, or at least the Bixby button, there’s some hope. Late last year, Samsung introduced the ability to disable the Bixby button.

If you want to disable the button, swipe to the right on the home screen. In the top right-hand corner, tap the Settings gear icon. This will show a drop-down screen which allows you to toggle the button on or off.

Do your eyes a favor

As someone who has more devices than fingers and toes, I know a thing or two about staring at bright screens at night. It has been a God-send that manufacturer’s have started implementing a blue-light filter into the software.

Samsung is no different, with the company’s implementation of its Blue Light Filter. The filter adds a tint to the screen, which is designed to help your eyes and make sure that you can sleep better.

Accessing these settings is pretty easy, and you can even set a schedule:

  1. Open ‘Settings’
  2. Tap ‘Display’
  3. Select ‘Blue Light Filter’

From here, you can adjust the opacity of the filter, along with set a specific schedule. There is a default option of sunset to sunrise or a custom schedule. However, these can only be used after Location access is turned on.

Customize the Edge Panel

With the release of every flagship Galaxy device, there are a slew of different features thrown into the mix. The same can be said for the ‘Edge Panel’ which has become quite popular over the last few iterations.

Whenever you are sitting on your home screen, you may notice a slightly-white bar hanging off the right-side of the screen. This is used to access the different Edge Panels, which can act as shortcuts for different actions.

Out of the box, there will be three edge panels installed automatically – Apps, People, Smart Select. However, there are a lot of different panels that can be added or removed.

These can be accessed by following these steps:

  1. Open ‘Settings’
  2. Tap ‘Display’
  3. Select ‘Edge screen’

In the Edge Screen settings, you will see both “Edge Panels” and “Edge Lighting”. In order to tinker with the different panels, you will want to select “Edge Panels”.

From here, you can scroll left and right to view the different options. Then you can select the checkmark bubble if you want to add or remove different panels.

There is even a “Download” button in the top right-hand corner. This will take you to the Samsung App Store to download more Edge Panels.

The devices for this content were provided by Verizon, provider of the nation’s largest and most reliable 4G LTE network.

Samsung Chromebook Pro with a backlit keyboard is now available

Alexandra Arici
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So, you’re looking for a Chromebook with a backlit keyboard. There are some options out there to consider including the ASUS Chromebook Flip 2 or the Acer Chromebook 14.

Well, you can now add Samsung to the list of companies that are offering a Chromebook with a backlit keyboard. The Korean tech giant recently added a new version of its Chromebook Pro with a backlit keyboard.

Samsung started offering the Chromebook Pro in the US back in May. As far as we can tell, the two versions are identical when it comes to specs and price.

Customers might be a bit disappointed that the processor didn’t get a bump up, but even so, the backlit keyboard is a useful addition.

Samsung Chromebook Pro comes with a Pen

The laptop features a 12.3-inch touchscreen display with 2,400 x 1600 resolution. Labeled as a Chromebook specially designed for professional, the laptop takes the form of a convertible with the display connected to a 360-degree hinge.

The Chromebook relies on an Intel Core M3 6Y30 processor with 4GB of RAM and 32GB of e.MMC storage. A microSD card reader is also included.

Furthermore, Samsung’s model includes a built-in digitized Pen for working in applications such as Samsung ArtCanvas.

The Chromebook Pro was officially introduced during CES 2017, alongside a second Chromebook Plus model. The latter shares many characteristics of the Chromebook Pro except for the ARM-based CPU. It also carries a slightly smaller price tag.

Given that the Samsung Chromebook Pro is a year old, we would have welcomed a more significant upgrade.

But we do have a bit of good news. The new Chromebook with a backlit keyboard does not cost extra. So customers can pick it up for the same $599.99 price tag.

Those looking for something more affordable should check out the Samsung Chromebook Plus which is currently on sale for $449.99.

Saturday Savings: Tech and Gear on sale this weekend

Andrew Myrick
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While it’s nice to be able to get your hands on brand-new products, it’s important to save a few bucks. Today, we’re taking a look at all of the various devices and accessories that are on sale.

We take a look at some of the best smartphone deals, highlighted by the Moto G5S. There is also quite a few accessory deals that are taking place this weekend.

Save on new tech

Moto G5S Plus – $270 $219.99

If Motorola has been good at one thing in the past few years, it’s budget devices. The Moto G series of smartphones has been some of the fan favorites, and you can save a few bucks on the latest option.

READ MORE: Save big on Amazon Kindle and Fire Tablets

Normally priced at $270, the Moto G5S Plus is now available for just $219.99 with free Prime Shipping. The G5S Plus sports a 5.2-inch 1080p display, while being powered by the Snapdragon 625 SoC. This has been coupled with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of expandable storage.

Save on accessories

Anker Soundcore 2 – $39.99 $29.99

Now that it’s starting to get warm outside (at least in some areas), this means more time spent outside. In turn, you’re going to likely want a reliable portable Bluetooth speaker and that’s where the Anker SoundCore 2 comes into play.

The SoundCore 2 is normally priced at $39.99, but Anker is running a promotion that allows you to save $10. This speaker features a 5,200mAh battery, which is rated at lasting up to 24 hours. Additionally, you won’t have to worry about the SoundCore 2 getting wet with its IPX5 rating.

Submit your Deal!

Do you have a product, service, app, or game that’s on sale? We’d love to hear about it. Please take a few minutes to fill out this form and we’ll consider it for an upcoming post.

Cricket Wireless releases the LG Fortune 2 for just $99.99

AndroidGuys
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It’s only been slightly over a year since LG released its first-generation Fortune, a device with budget-friendly specs and a budget-friendly price tag. Well, the phone that features a price tag-defying name now has a second-generation followup, called the LG Fortune 2. The 19-year-old AT&T MVNO Cricket Wireless, known for its budget-friendly offerings, is back with the next-generation LG Fortune 2 for $99.99.

The price of the Fortune 2 alone is lovely, but a phone is more than its price. The LG Fortune 2 features a 5-inch display with an HD (1280 x 720p) screen resolution, an increase from the 854 x 480p resolution of the first-gen. Fortune, and a 1.4GHz, quad-core processor (which is slightly faster than the 1.14GHz quad-core SoC of last year’s model).

The 16GB of storage with a microSD card slot for an additional 32GB of expandable storage returns from last year’s model, alongside the 2,500mAh battery.

In addition to the increased screen resolution, the Fortune 2 brings the same 5MP front-facing camera but bumps up the rear camera from 5MP to 8MP and adds an LED flash. The phone features Bluetooth 4.2 but runs on Android 7.1.2 Nougat, an improvement from the Android 6.0 Marshmallow update of the first Fortune.

Knock On, a feature of LG smartphones that lets you “knock on glass” to wake up the phone, returns, and a Quick Video Editor will let you customize videos right from your phone.

You can pick up the Fortune 2 both in stores and online starting today for both existing and new customers at the $99.99 price tag mentioned above, so you don’t have to choose your venue to get this deal.

You can grab the LG Fortune 2 from Cricket Wireless.

Retouch Me review: a photo correction service for those with no photo editing skills

Alexandra Arici
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How many times have you snapped a selfie and, upon seeing the result, found yourself wishing you had more hair volume or that you were skinnier? These imperfections can be easily adjusted using professional editing programs like Photoshop. But what do you do if you don’t know Photoshop? You ask a friend… or you can install an app to help you with editing.

These days, there’s an app for everything. So why shouldn’t there be one for getting flawless photos and selfies? Enter Retouch Me, a photo correction service which puts you in direct contact with trained designers, who are available at any hour of the day and night.

Setup

Setting up the app is pretty simple. Just grab it from the Google Play Store and install it on your Android device. The app is free to download, but if you want to get your photos and selfies retouched you will have to pay cash.

Once you fire up the app, you’re prompted to pick a photo you want to get retouched (or to take a new one).

Select an image and start tapping on the adjustments you want the designer to do to them. Options are grouped into two categories: Body and Face.

You can pick from numerous options including:

  • Slimmer waist
  • Flat stomach
  • Remove fat folds
  • Remove skin flaws
  • Longer legs
  • Thinner arms
  • Remove tattoos
  • Iron clothes
  • Remove pimples
  • Whiten teeth
  • Enlarge eyes
  • Enlarge lips and many more

But to get your photo retouched you need stars. To see your star balance, check the bottom left of the screen.

How do you get stars? Well, you’ll have to purchase them using real money. 20 starts cost $1, while purchasing 80 will take you back with $3.99. If you want to go big, you also have the option of buying up to 3000 stars.

You can also earn stars (or credits). You can watch an ad for one star or like RetouchMe on Facebook or Instagram for five stars each. Writing a review on Google Play will get you an additional 10 credits.

Once you stocked up on stars, pick the retouches you want to apply to your photo. For example, a nose correction, ear reduction or lips enlargement will cost you 10 stars.

Smoothing the skin takes more effort so it will take you back with 20 stars. But the majority of options cost 5 or 10 stars.

After you decide on the retouches you want to be applied, you simply tap the Send to Designer button in the upper right corner and wait. It takes up to an hour before you get the edited photo back.

So, how are the results? In my experience, they were ok, but nothing out of the ordinary. I sent in a few pics and asked the app to smooth my skin, remove a pimple and add more volume to my hair.

While the designer who retouched my image(s) did everything I asked for, it’s nothing I couldn’t have done myself using a photo app like AirBrush.

For another image, I requested a bosom enlargement, as well as a tan. As you can see below, the retouches are a bit awkward.

Once you get the results back, you can easily compare the old and new image to be able to see the differences more clearly. You can also rate the designer who retouched your photo and opt to have the RetouchMe logo on your pic.

From the same window, you can also share the retouched images on social media (Facebook, Twitter) or save it to your device.

Conclusion

RetouchMe is a very intuitive app, so anyone will be able to get their photos retouched easily. Photo retouching apps are as easy as ever, so there are plenty of options to make these alterations on your own. But, that being said, if you want to just have someone else take on the task RetouchMe is the way to go.

If you want to find out more about Retouch Me, you can visit its website or find it in the Google Play Store.

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